Thursday, March 10, 2016

Indonesia: Call for Innovative Technologies to Help Survey for Geothermal Energy

Geothermal appears to be the buzz word. The government has set targets to increase the share of renewable energy in total energy use to 19 percent by 2019 and 25 percent by 2025, an increase from about 5 percent and 6 percent at present.

This is monumental, especially when we take into consideration the progress of the country’s geothermal development since a pre-feasibility study for electricity generation was initiated in 1972 by Geothermal Energy New Zealand. There appears to be momentum and the will, which means there is a way if minds are open to innovative ideas and not stuck in the old ways.

There are a large number of potential geothermal sites spread across this vast country but many are difficult to access with traditional exploration strategies. Many areas will be covered by canopy while other areas will have difficult or practically impassable terrain.

To arrive at the “goal” that has been set by the Indonesian government, innovative technologies that are able to pre-stage exploration by satellite derived data that reduces the time, cost and risk need to be used.

To survey all of the potential geothermal sites individually by traditional methods will take time, time that is not on Indonesia’s side if the targets and goals are to be met.